Arriving at the stall area with Illness-san, whom I met by chance, I bought two skewers first, giving one to Illness-san.
[Here, Illness-san.]
[Kuhihi, thank you.]
I was a little hesitant about the idea of bringing a girl to a skewer stall right from the start... but there was no way around it. After all, with Illness-san's personality, even if I asked her "What would you like to eat?", she would only respond with "I will go with whatever you want to eat, Kaito-sama".
I thought about buying things that weren't really what I wanted to eat, getting a candy apple or something but... Illness-san might be able to easily see through that. So, as a result, I decided to buy something called Red Horn Bull Skewers which is something I would normally eat.
Red Horn Bull is the beef of my world, and I've had it a few times before, so I'm comfortable with it. No, seriously... The reassurance that this was made of meat I know of is wonderful.
While I was thinking about this, Illness-san put one hand on her skewer, using her other hand to cover her mouth while taking a bite.
[...It's reallyyyyy tasty, isn't iiiiiiit?]
[.....]
Hmmm, an elegant way of eating without showing the inside of her mouth. For such an Illness-san who can do something like this so naturally, the word "lady" really suits her very well.
If you consciously looked at her, I can see the elegance in her posture and gestures, but it didn't seem like she was doing it consciously, and was doing it in a very natural way.
If it weren't for the fact that she was dressed in a maid uniform, she would have looked like a noble lady, and I felt that every movement she made was so refined.
Thereupon, just at that moment, I made eye contact with Illness-san when she looked at me... Eh? She's... looking at me, right? It kind of looks like she's looking right past me and into the view behind me... U- Unnn, she's probably looking at me.
[What's the matteeeeer?]
[Ah, n- no, the way Illness-san eats is so elegant, so I thought it was amazing...]
[Kuhihi, that's not the caaaaase. This way of eating is just something I got used toooooo.]
[Is that so?]
[Moreoveeeeer~~ It's not like eating elegantly is good, you knooooow? The best way to enjoy a meaaaal is to eat well, riiiiiiiiight?]
[I see.]
The words she said must have been a follow-up for me who was about to eat my skewer. I think it's really amazing that people can say such things so naturally.
Prompted by Illness-san's words, I too was able to eat the skewers without being particularly conscious of them.
When I finished my skewer, Illness-san smoothly took the skewer out of my hand and threw it into a nearby can, along with her own skewer.
Then, she turned to me and gently spoke.
[...Sooo~~ Kaito-samaaaa, what are you "feeling uneasy about"?]
[...Eh?]
[I think there's a plaza over theeeeeere~~ How about we talk over thereeee? Even if it's just listeniiiiiing, I think it's something I can doooooo.]
[...Ummm, could it be... You've noticed everything from the beginning?]
[I wondeeeeer~~? What do you thiiiiiink? Kuhihihi.]
I really can't match against her.
Just as Illness-san said, I was indeed feeling uneasy. Rather, there was something that I was feeling a little heavy-hearted about.
I invited Illness-san with the purpose of thanking her... but perhaps, I might have been trying to distract myself from my emotions.
Illness-san, who easily saw through my emotions, moved to a less popular plaza and urged me to sit on a bench.
Sitting down on the bench, Illness-san also sat on a bench with a little distance between us, and without saying anything, she turned her face to me.
[...Errr, actually, tomorrow, I was supposed to go around the festival with Shiro-sa... God of Creation-sama.]
[Myyy~~ That would be quite a great honoooor.]
[Yes. It's not that I don't like going around with Shiro-san. Rather, I'm having a lot of fun being with Shiro-san... so I'm rather looking forward to tomorrow.]
[In that caaaase~~ What are you worried abouuuuuuut?]
[No, ummm, I'm sure we're going to get a lot of attention...]
Yes, I'm looking forward to going around with Shiro-san... but compared to Kuro and the others, Shiro-san would attract even more attention.
I mean, just her mere appearance at the opening ceremony was enough to make everyone kneel in unison. On top of that, all the Gods were on high alert... I'm just a small commoner, so such attention is hard for me to take.
[I seeeee~~ I don't reaaaaally like standing out eitheeeeer~~ so I understand how you feeeeel.]
[Yes, so... I thought it would be rude to Shiro-san to go around while I'm feeling like that, so I was thinking of having some change of pace.]
[...In that case~~ are you going to stop going around with God of Creation-sama tomorrooooow?]
[...No, just as I had said, I'm really looking forward to going around with her.]
[Theeeen~~ I think you'll do just fiiiiine. I'm suuuuure~~ God of Creation-sama will also be pleased going around with youuuuu.]
[I guess you're right.]
Illness-san is this kind of person after all. She would never say things like how you should do things. She would positively affirm with you... And when you find an answer, she will gently encourage you.
Even though I'm feeling anxious, she would tell me that it isn't that big of a deal, it's just something that requires great attention. Illness-san understood the complicated feelings I had, and that's why she let me say it like this to change my mood.
In fact, I think it's very easy to say it out loud. I just need to enjoy my time with Shiro-san and not worry about what's going on around me...
Illness-san... really is amazing. When I talk to Illness-san, I feel like I can naturally be more positive about things... Her voice that gently affirms me and her words that gently push my back were very comfortable.
As I was relishing the feeling of my mind clearing up, I heard a gentle voice and the clapping of hands
[...Let's say if the world were a single storyyyyy, how many pages would there beeeee?]
[...Illness-san?]
When I turned my gaze to the voice, I saw that Illness-san had turned towards the sky and was singing a song while softly clapping her hands.
[The you on that page may be very smaaaaall and hard to seeeeee.]
[...]
[But that doesn't matteeeer, for you are the next page's... important piiiiiiiece.]
[...]
[Pleeeease, keep walkiiing, for the future lies where you're goiiiing.]
I've never heard this song before, but it seems to have kind lyrics. Even so, Illness-san... is really good at singing. I couldn't help but listen to her song that was kindly and gently spun, as if it was speaking to me.
[Let's say if the world were a single storyyyyy, the miracle of meeting you like thiiiiis is something I'm grateful foooor.]
The lyrics seemed to have entered the second verse, and she had sung with the same rhythm as the first line.
[As you who reach out to otheeeeers, the others also reach out to youuuuu. And so, the circle expaaaands, and the page gains color.]
[.....]
[You are never aloooone, for you have many friends by your side.]
[.....]
[Pleeeease, don't forgeeeet, for there are fans who wish for your happiness.]
With those words, Illness-san turned to me, and for a brief moment... I felt her eyes focus on me.
[I'm sure the road you walk will not be smooooooth, strong winds may push you back, but I'm suuuuuuure, you will grow with each of your steeeps.]
[.....]
[Sooooomeday, when you are old, reading the story again will make me smile, even when I'm not in its pageeeees.]
[.....]
[That's why pleeeease, don't forgeeeet, I will be your fan, wishing you happiness.]
It seems that this is where the song ends, as Illness-san ended it with an unusual smile... a small, gentle smile, before she looked away from me and turned up to the sky.
[...That's a beautiful song. What song is it?]
[...A song named "A Small Story", it was popular about a hundred years agoooo. I thouuuught it would be the most appropriate song to send to you, Kaito-samaaaaa.]
[Ehh? Errr...]
[I will aaaaaalways be on your side. That's whyyyy~~ even in the fuuuuture, you can rely on me as muuuuuuch you want. I'm most happy when you're happy after alllllll~~ or something like thaaaaat?]
Saying this, Illness-san tilted her head. Illness-san, as she was basking beneath the faint moonlight, looked so beautiful and fantastic.
[Kuhihi... Well theeeen~~ since we still have some tiiiiime, how about we go around stalls a bit moooooore?]
[Ahh, y- yes! You're right, let's go!]
As Illness-san stood up with the usual smile she had on her face, I also stood up. I don't know if it's because I heard her tell me that she would always be by my side or not, but I felt like my face is blushing red right now.
Dear Mom, Dad————- Affirming me, supporting me, pushing me forward... and sincerely wishing me happiness. The song that Illness-san gave me had such an impossibly gentle———- and devotional lyrics.